whiton



Luciusln.

v UNI-TED STATES wm'roiv, or wns'r srArroRn, ooNNnerrcUfr, Assienon'ro D f E. ...WHi'roNv MACHINE contraria?, 'en .saME-- PLAGE;

PATENT Orr-Ice. "f

LATHE-ci-iucK..

4 SPE'CIFICATIDN forming part of Letters Patent No. 369.758. dated-September13.1887

Application filed May 22, 1885. Serial No. 166,334. (No model.) i

To all 'whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, LUcIUs E. WHITON, of

West Stafford, in the county of rouantl` and State-of Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lathe- Chucks, of

' which the following is a full specification.

My invention relates to that class of chucks in which the jaws are moved by separate screws, which may be revolved independently 'or together at will.

with the pinions when the camfrings permit it,

and (d) to provide certain improvements in the details of construction whereby the cost of manufacture may be lessened; third, to arrange vtlie various parts so'that the jaws may be easily reversed; fourth, to 'so inclose the working parts as to exclude all turnings, dirt, or other matter vwhich would interfere with the operation of the chuck. I attain these objects byl the mechanism and arrangement-of parts illustrated in the 'accompanying drawings and hereinafter-described. Y l

In the drawings, Figure I is 'a face viewoof a lathe-chuck so vmade as to emoody'myim- -proveinentgand in which a portion of the.- centercase is broken away toshoW one of the' beveled pinions with which each screw is prof' Avided and a- -part of the circular .rack which mayconnect'theseveral screws.. Fig. II isa longitudinal section of the chuck and chuckplate onlinefa; y of the plan, 'showing the con# necting-rack in gear with the pinions,in which position the jaws will ,move simultaneously.A

Fig. III isafsectionvofa portion ofthe chuck on line xy, showing the rack out lof gear with the pinions, in which position -the. jawmmay Vbe moved independently. Fig. IV. is a View ofA the-inner face ofthe Apiece which receives `the reaction of the s crew'w'hen the jaw is op?,

v5oerated. Fig. Yl is `an elevation of 'a portion of'A the chuck, showing theouter end of' one jaw and screw and the square recess in the end 'of the screwwhich receives thei key. Fig. VI is a view of the back of the chuck -as it appears with the chuckplate and fixed cam-ring removed. AThis view shows the revolving camrin gwith its spiral groove and'segment of: gear- THE;

teeth and the pinion by. means of ,which thev cam-ring is revolved. Fig. VII isa viewvof' the inner surface of the fixedcan1-1'ing, show` ing its spiral groove. Fig. VIII is lafvew of the inncrface of thecentral shell of the' chuck, with the revolving cam-ring, the circular rack, two of the shoe -segments, `and one of the i springs removed. Fig. yIX is an elevation of one of the shoe-segments. Fig. X is a view in perspective of the key. y Fig. XI is a view ofthe screw. j The several partsof the chuck are desig'V nated throughout by letters and the characteristics of each part by numbers.

Referring tothe drawings, B is frame of the chuck. In its face a suitable number of radial guiding-slots are made, each of which is provided' with retainig-ribslS Into each of these guiding-'slots jaws-Aare iitted in the usual manner. .The bottom: of

the main f ,each jaw ishollowed out'and screw-threaded',v

as shown at 3, so as to engage properly with its actuating-screw. In'the bottom of the '8o y radial slot a cylindricalvrecess, 14, Figs` II` and V, is made, the axis of 'which is paral` lel with'the center line ofthe slot and lies-in theyertical plane passing through said center line, ybut is lower than the plane of the bottom.

of the slot.A This recess `14 is madeof suitable diameter to receive the screw vE,w'hich is made largerv'than'in previous practice. .The screw E being inserted in this recess,its screwthread will. ecome engaged with that of' the jaw A, provi d` the recess be of proper depth.. The sidesof'this'recess will preventthe screw from falling out in auybuta radialdirection, nok matter what the positionpof the chuck, `even though the jaw be removed. y To vsecure the'grcatest possible traverse of the jawA, it is necessary-that the screw-thread shouldextend .as nearly'aspossiblc .to eachl end of the screw'E, and'all endwise motionof the screwmustbc prevented- To accomplish through which the reaction maybe received. 5 To receive thlsreaction thrust. pins or bearings D, having theirinner faces made of such shape as to fit accurately the recess 34, are inserted through holes made in the back of the frame B. Referring to any one of these pieces D,`

Fig. IV, the hole in frame B, into which it is to be rmly driven, is so made that its axis will be at right angles with that oi' the screw E, and will also lie wholly in lthe vertical plane passing through the center of lthe guiding-slot and the axis of the screw. The piece D is provided with a shoulder, 2S., When firmly driven in against this shoulder, the projection 29 will ll the lower half of the re cess 34; also, the surfaces 30 and 34. will be 2o just in contact, and the surface 3l will form a continuation of the surface of the cylindrical recess 14.` In this position the projection 29l will prevent all endwise motion ofthe screw E. The thrust-pins I) are held in place by screws 13, tapped into the joint, as shown. A square hole, 35, adapted to receive the squared end of the key O, is made in the outer end of the screw E. This hole permits the screw to be operated without necessitating any projecting end likelyto catch the operators clothing, and does not shorten the screw-thread. By these karrangements I secure much greater radial traverse than has heretofore been known in chucks of this class, thus increasing their capacity, as shown atA, Fig. I. The inner end of'each ofthe screws E is provided with a beveled pinion, F, one end of which is turned down to form a journal, 38. The outer end, 39, ot this pinion ismade square or of other prismatic for1n,and is firmly fixed by shrinkage or otherwise in a similarlyshaped recess, 36, of the screw E, so that both must invariably turn together. These pinions project intothe central recess, 7, of t-he frame B. Beneath these pinions, within the central recess, 7, and mounted upon the central case,'C,are two rings, G and H, which are free to revolve in planes at right angles to the axis of the chuck, and have also a limited movement in the direction of this axis. .The ring G is provided .with gear-teeth upon its upper surface. The ring H has a scroll-thread, 42, upon itslower surface, the outer sides of which. are beveled, as shown at 411-. The space ,55 43 between the th'reads is made of a depth slightly greater than that of the gear-teeth on the rack G and 'pinions F. This ring is also provided with a segment of gear-teeth, 41, in' connection with which operates a spur-pinion, J. A recess, 9, is made in one side of the central recess, 7, to accommodate this pinion. Beneath the ring H is a fixed ring, Lhaxfing an annular projection, 52, tting the recess 27 of the central case, C, to which it is fastened 6,5 by screws 24 through the holes 51. The ring I is of suiiicicntdiameter to iill the recess 8 of the frame B, thus supporting the lower end of the case C and closing the recess 7. Its thickness at 49 is somewhat less than the depth of the recessS, leaving-:outside it afrecess, by ,means of which the chuck may bev centrally fastened to the chuck-plate P. Holes 50 are made in this ring I, through which the bolts :$8 pass in reaching into the threaded holesl ol' the frame B. By means of these bolts the chuck is fastened to the chuck-plate. I The inner face of the ring I is also provided` with a scroll-thread, 4G, of the same pitch as the scroll-thread upon ring H, 'but int-he opposite direction, as is shown by aeomparison of H and I, Figs. VI and VII. The inner sides of the thread 46 are beveled, 4S, at the same angle as the outersidesvof the thread 42, and the space 47 is sufficiently deep to receive the thread 42 of the ring H. In acertain position the threads'of the two rings H and I will interlock, as shown in Fig. III, allowing the gear-ring G to be forced out of engagement with the pinions. By causing the ring H to revolve by means of the pinion J and segment 41 the Contact of the inclined faces of the scroll-threads will force the ring H to rise, causing the rack G to come again into engagement with the pinions. A large angular ad- Vance of one ring in relation to the other is necessary to accomplish the requisite rise, as is shown by the arc 45, Fig. VI. On' account of the comparative ilatness of the inclined planes formed by the beveled sides of the scroll# threads. the operation of this mechanism is exceedingly easy, smooth, and powerful, even though the threads be unfinished. Conscquently it is very inexpensive. There is also a position, afterthe rise has been accomplished, where the tops of the threads are in contact similar to that of solid flat plates, as shown in Fig. II, `in which position no pressure, however great, can cause the threads to become interlocked; hence when the tops of the threads are in contact the'gcar G is held in place by a firm support under every portion of its surface. The surfaces of the cam-rings may be provided with segments of beveled scrolltlirea( ls, instead of completed con volutes, wit-hin the limits ot' my invention, decreasing the aro through which the loose ring must move to accomplish the rise, but lessening the ease with which it operates, by making the inciines steeper.

To afford convenient means of operating the pinion J, itsjonrnal 54 is made of such lengt-h that its upper end will be even with the face of the chuck. This upper end is slotted, as shown at 55, for-the reception of the flat end 6B of thekey O. To prevent the friction of the gearring when operating in connection with the several pinions from causing the cam-ring H to turn and assume the interlocked position, it

is necessary that the pinion J be prevented from turning. This is conveniently accomplished as fol ows: Beneath the face of the chuck a hole, 10, is drilled intosthe frame B, the axis Vio this catch is flattened, so that it will venter theslot 55.Y The upper corner o f this fiat projection 58 is beveled, sothat th'e introduction of th'e'key will force the catch back into the recess, compressing the spring L; As the end 6G of the key fills the slot 55', -it is plain that fafter introducing it the pinion may be easily turned as many times as desired. After'turn ing thepinion and connected cam-ring as much as is necessary to connect or disconnect vthe several screws, the key is withdrawn.` If care betaken to withdraw the key only whengthe slot is in line with the catch, the pinion-,wilt

bel immediately locked by the action of the spring. If, however, the slot be not in line when the key is withdrawn, the above-mentioned friction can vonly cause the pinionto make a half-revolution at most, for so soon as the slot comes in line the catch will be forced into it and all further motion prevented. To keep the catch Kirom turning inthe recess 1 0, sothat the end 58 will.not enter the slot 55, a groove, 60, is made in its lower side, and apin, 61, is `fitted into the bottom of the recess 10 in such a way as to project intothis groove. v

' That the rack -G may readily become disengaged from the pinions, and that the camring Hmay be caused to follow Sclosely down the inclinesI to the interlocked position shown lin Fig. III, spiral springs N are provided, having seats 25- in the ihner face of the shell C. Between these springs and the face of the rack thin shoe-segments M are placed, having "their ends 63 so bent as to come in contact with projecting lugs 26 of the central case, C. Theseends preventt-he shoe-segments from turning with the rack. To accommodate the rise and fall of the cam-ring H and segment 41, the face of the pinion J is made longer than that of the gear-segment, thus preserving their engagement. n

By the means Aabove described the' operator isenabled to conveniently connect 0r disconneet the actuating-screws, and the chuck may be either independent, universal, or eccentricA at will. To facilitate placing the jaws in a central positi0n,concentric rings 17 are marked on the face of the chuck, as shown in Fig. I.

The largest diameter of the pinions F,4 mounted in the inner ends of the screws E, is

Vslight-ly less' than that of the screw at the bot# tom of its thread. As the screws are made of larger diameter than heretofore,this construc tion is easily possible, and the jaws A will pass over the pinions. As hereinbefore described, the means of fastening the screw also allows 65' the jaw a clear passage over it; hence this construct-ion leaves a free radial passageway for the jaw from cndto end of the guiding-slot. A'svthe 'axis of the screw-thread 3 corresponds with lthat'of the screw' E and isin the vertical .plane passingthrough the centerl of the slot, the jaw may readily befreversed without the inecessity'of makingi-tof.twoformore pieces'.

A jaw thus reversed. is shown at A,Fig. I.

The pinions'F 'maybe mounted in the outer ends of the screws,with'therac-k and cam- -rings beneath thennas in many other chucks within the scopeof my invention thus far described; vlout Athe construction shown is pre-- ferred, because the small rack employedis much less expensive.

To inclose the working part-s, a

hol-low case 4 or shell, C, is fitted into the central recess, 7,

of the frame B, This case is provided with an annular projection, 19, of suitablel diameter to allow the cam-ring Handrack G to be mounted upon itwi'thin the central recess, 7, as before described. 0n the inner face of vthis case .C

lugs 26 are formed, in which conical recesses 28 are made. When the case C is in place', the axes and diameters of these recesses coin-l cide with those of the pinions F. Holes 22 are made in the center of these recesses, extending into the center hole of the case G, whichl is alsothe' center hole of the chuck. These holes 22 form bearings for the pinion-journals 38,

by which they are so closedA as to exclude dirt. v

To the lower end of the annular projection 19 the fixed cam-ring I is fastened by screws 24, as before described. case() is provided with grooves 20, which 'form continuations ofthe guidingeslots, but are not The outer face of the roc,

providedwith retaliningribs18.- Thev bottom of the groove 20 is raised to form portion vof a cylindrical surface. Therad-ius of the arc which maybe conceived as generating this surface by a longitudinal movementy corresponds with that of the screw Eat the'bottom of'its v thread. This feature is 'shown clearly at21', Figs. I and II. inasmuch as the. largest di,- am'etcrof'the pinion --F is less than that of the screw.E at the bottom of its thread, it follows that a cap of metal, 21, sufcient to exclude chips, die., is left over the `pinion without i11- terfering in any degree with the movement of the jaw A. l, To complete the inclosnre of the working parts,the cylindrical recess 14 of the frame B,int0 which the screw is fitted, is made smaller for a short distance at its inner end to iit thescrcw E at the bottom of its thread. This feature is shown at 15, Fig. Il. The center case, C, is heldin place by the screw 12, tapped into the joint, as shown in Fig. I, and also by thejournals of the pinions. In assemblage, the various parts the springs N, shoe segments M, gear-ringZ G, and cam-ring H are first mounted upon the central case, C. The fixed cam-ring Iis'th'en attached, and after inserting the locking deviceand pinion J in their proper positions the case C and mechanism mounted thereon is inserted inthe central recess, 7, from the back havingbeen made according to the foregoing description,

side. The screws, and pinions are then pushed into the recesses 14 as far as they will go and the thrustpinsD and retainingscrews 13 and 12 put in place The jaws may now be runin and the chuckis complete.

. The ease with which the screws E may be 4removed is an important advantage which this chuck possesses over others. If from any cause-as that of the screw-threads becoming dry--the screw and jaw should stick together, both may be removed by taking out the th rustpin D, when they may be separated, oiled,and replaced without injury. By this construction I am also enabled to use a large screw without increasing the thickness of thejaw iu'proportion, as the recess receiving the screw is open at the end and the screw may be inserted in a radial direction without reference to the width ofthe guiding-slot above it; also, when the thrust-pinisin position the screw cannot get ont of place even though the jaw be removed, for the sides of the recess are partially closed about its upper half, as shown in Fig. V.

In Figs. 3 and 4 of the drawings forming part of Letters Patent No. 47,428, dated April 25, 1865, a chuck-screw is shown having a small pinionupon its outer end in acombination which permits thejaw to pass over it; but in this case the screw is hollow and mounted upon the pinion,the end of which is extended through the screw and forms its journal.

ln Letters Patent N o. 110,903, 'dated .I anuary 10, 1871, a chuck-screw having end journals and sections of relatively continuous thread with a small central pinion is shown and claimed. It resembles the screw claimed below in having end sections of relatively continuous thread, but is constructed ,of three pieces, has end journals, and thecentral portion consists ot' the bevel-pinion G. It is placed in a cored recess having semicircular bearings in its ends.

In Letters Patent No. 235,836, dated December 21, 1880, a cam-ring having a segment viously different from the patents referred to.

In Letters Patent No; 279,017, dated June 5, 1883, a screw is shown and claimed which resembles mine in appearance, having the central abutting shoulders and end.' sections ot' screw-thread.. The screw-threads, however, are not relatively continuous, but in opposite directions and of different pitches.

Having thus described my invention and shown wherein its features diier from those uof lathe-chucks most nearly approaching 1it in design and arrangement, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters vPatent of the United States, is

1. The combination, in a lathe-chuck, of the holding-jaws, each having a-screw, E, adapted v thereto, said screw being turned down for a portion of its length near its center to form abutting shoulders 34, and being provided at both ends with sections lof screw-thread relatively the same as though continuous from end to end.

2. The combination, in a lathe-chuck, of the holding-jaws and the above-described sfrew E, adapted thereto, with a thrust-pin, D, naving a projection, 29, tting between the abutf ting shoulders of the screw, as described.

3. The combination, in a lathe-chuck, of the.

holding-jaws and the' described screw E, adapted thereto, said screw being provided at one of its :ends with a pinion in diameter not greater than thev screw at the bottom of vits thread, substantially as described.

4. The combination, in a lathe-chuck, of the I body or frame B, provided with radial guiding-slots extending to the outer periphery' thereof, the jaws adapted thereto, parallel cy lindrioal recesses 14, having their axes lower than the planejot' the bottom of the guidingslots and inthe vertical planes passing through the center lines of the slots, and the screws for operating the jaws located within the said cylindrical recesses,substantiall y as described. i

5. The combination, in a lathechuck, with the jaws and their operating mechanism, of the cam-rings H and I, having opposite bev- IOO eled scroll-threads on'their surfaces, for the l purpose described.

6. In a .lathe/-chuckf the combination, with the holding-jaws and the operating mechanism therefor, of the revolving cam-ring H, spur-l pinion J, having the outer end of its journal slotted, and the.;iiattened spring-catch K,

which will Ybe forced back by theintroduetion of the key into the slot ofthe pinionjournal,

substantially as described.

7. The combination, in a lathe-chuck, of the holding-jaws and the mechanism for operating the same with the central case, C, the annular projection 19, rack and cam-rings mounted thereon, said case being providedwith conical recesses 23, pinion-bearings 22,.and grooves 20, the latter having raisedcylindrical botf toms to inclose the pinions andpermit free passage of, the jaws, substantially as described.

8. In a lathe-chucl the combination of the. central case, C, above described, with spira springs seated in its upper inner surface, thinshoe-segments M, gear-ring G, cam-rings H and I, and the holding-jaws, with their operat ing devices, ascspecitied.

9. In alathech`ick, the combinationof the frame B, made in one piece, the holding-jawsand operating devices therefor., and the. central annular case, C, provided with grooves 20,

and an annular' projection, 19, on which to lar-case (Land-the' bottom plate, I, Substan mounh the rack, substantially as described; f tially as described;

.10.' The combination, in a lathe-chuck o the described central annular box, 7, the def l LUCIQS L WHITON' 5 scribed operating parts adapted to be inserted Witnesses: l therein, the said annular box beingformed by PLDTY M. HARWOQD, 4 the walls of the body of the chuck, the anuu- HENRY LUFLER.

It is hereby certified that -the residence ot' une assignee in Letters Patent No. 369,758, granted September 13, A1887, upon the application of I'JuciusE. Whiton, of West Stett'-,qv forti, Connecticut, for au improvementin Lathe Chucks, wats erroneously Written andprintefi of semeplace, whereas said residence should have been written and printed New London, Connecticut; and that the Lettersl Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent (mice.`

Signed, conntersigned, and sealed this 4th day of October, A. D. 1887.

[SEAL] D. L HAWKINS,

' Acting' Secretary of the Interior. Countersign ed:

BENTON J. HALL,

C'omynssz'oueeof Patents. 

